Furious run to the finish for Wendy Greuel, Eric Garcetti in L.A. mayoral race

Full Coverage: Los Angeles May 21, 2013 Election LOS ANGELES -- They have sparred at more than 50 mayoral debates. Helped spend a record amount of money to become mayor of America's second largest city. And criss-crossed the city the day before the election for one final push to gain as many votes as possible.

Voters will head to polling places today to cast their ballots for either Councilman Eric Garcetti and Controller Wendy Greuel, but not before the two candidates try to swing remaining undecideds to their side.

Garcetti traversed the city via train on Monday in what his campaign called a "Whistle stop" tour to meet voters. Standing in the afternoon sunshine outside the Crenshaw Boulevard stop on the Expo Line, Garcetti was asked about a new poll released Monday, which shows him up by five points over Greuel.

"There is only one poll that matters and that's tomorrow," Garcetti said.

After visiting a senior center in Sherman Oaks, Greuel stopped by Philippe the Original restaurant, shaking hands with lunch patrons at the landmark downtown eatery.

Greuel reminded reporters that she won her first City Council race by just about 225 votes, and said she believe the race is still very close.

"I have seen polls showing me up in absentee ballots," Greuel said. "Tomorrow is going to be the battleground. That's why we're going across the City of L.A. "

Tuesday brings a close to a contentious two-year race that saw a record $33 million spent on campaigns. Garcetti raised $8 million and Greuel raised $7 million.

Hopping aboard the Exposition Line, Garcetti weighed in on a new "phone script" being used by the Greuel campaign. The script instructs Greuel campaigners to call voters, and tell them that: "The Mayor of LA has said that (the) Eric Garcetti campaign has lied about Wendy Greuel(" s) record. "

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who hasn't endorsed either candidate, spoke out last week about negative advertisements released by outside groups backing both candidates, but he never stated Garcetti's campaign lied about Greuel's record.

He said his campaign is running on his strengths, not on his opponent's weaknesses.

As the train rumbled towards downtown, Garcetti walked the length of the car, meeting undecided voter Teruh Taylor, a 38-year-old South L.A. resident who has been out of work since losing her job as an auto mechanic a year and half ago. She told the councilman that her 18-year-old daughter, a recent high school graduate, is also looking for a job. Handing Taylor his card, Garcetti pointed to his plan to restore funding for the city's summer jobs program for teenagers. She nodded, adding: "I'd like that. "

Greuel's campaign got a boost from President Clinton, who released a robocall for the candidate on Monday. On the call, Clinton praises Greuel as a strong leader, telling listeners that "Wendy Greuel will get the job done." He endorsed Greuel, who worked in his administration at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, earlier this year.

For Greuel, a strong showing among absentee voters is particularly crucial in Tuesday's election. The campaign spent millions of dollars targeting absentee voters, spending heavily on television ads early in the race to try and get an edge over Garcetti.

By contrast, the Garcetti campaign spent its money later in the race, and has dominated the airwaves in the last week with television spots. Greuel's campaign is only running one spot, although outside groups, including unions representing city workers and police, are running ads on her behalf.

Jordan Angel, who was eating lunch with work colleagues at Philippe's, already sent in his ballot for Greuel, he said. The 31-year old West L.A. resident said he liked Greuel's tagline of finding waste, fraud, and abuse, adding that Garcetti was "too polished."

"She's done a good job as city controller," Angel said.

For the down-ticket races, it was also a furious amount of last minute campaigning.

City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and his opponent, former Assemblyman Mike Feuer, had staff members working phone banks and Trutanich planned to wrap up the day in San Pedro meeting with supporters. Feuer was attending his son's college graduation.

Councilman Dennis Zine, who is campaigning for Controller against businessman Ron Galperin, also made stops around Los Angeles

I'm out talking to people and going everywhere in the city," Zine said. "We have teams of people going out to remind people to vote. "

Galperin was working with his phone bank operation to try to get out his voters as candidates in the various City Council races on the ballot concentrated their efforts in their district.

Offices to be decided today also include the city attorney, controller, four council seats, one Los Angeles Unified School District board member, one Los Angeles Community College District trustees as well as three city measures involving medical marijuana.